Shining On
by Autumn Muse
Summary: My first fic! Popuri's POV from BTN. About finding love, self, and friends. Ch. 2 is now up! If it does well I may continue, please review .
1. Prologue: An end

Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon or any characters from Harvest Moon blah blah blah. I just play it a lot ^ ^ !  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Prologue  
  
It was the same thing day in and day out. Get up, chat with Ann by the spring, feed chickens, watch over Mom, and argue with brother. Life in Mineral Town was absolutely dull. Today would be no different, or would it?  
  
The funeral for Mr. Simms of the Harvest Farm was solemn to say the least. He was well loved in that tiny town as proof of the turn out. Popuri fondly remembered spending every Spring on his farm as a child. He always left a small patch of land for her to grow a garden of flowers. There was no room on her chicken farm for a garden, and she had always wanted one. Her eyes started to fill with tears, she tried to blink them away and just listen to the eulogy. As she looked up she saw an unfamiliar, yet memorable face. Who was this stranger? Why did she feel as if she's always known him? 


	2. Moving On

Chapter 1  
  
Popuri loved to get up early and sit by the Goddess Spring in the forest. Everything was always so peaceful then, that is until her friend Ann bounded up the hill. She didn't mind though, Ann was one her best friends. But those few moments alone were always bliss. Lately, she'd been noticing that those once peaceful moments were starting to become very lonely. This day was especially lonely; it was the day after Mr. Simms's funeral. So when she saw that flash of Ann's fiery red hair, she was glad.  
  
ANN: Hey Poppy.  
  
POPURI: Hey Ann.you don't look your usually peppy self.  
  
ANN: Heh, yeah..you're not that perky either though.  
  
POPURI: Yeah..I guess it's just hard. I feel as if a part of my life is gone now  
  
ANN: I know what you mean...We all loved him. But you know, I think he would've wanted us to continue being happy. To move on.  
  
POPURI: I know.but I have so many fond memories. When I think of my childhood, I think of Uncle Simms.  
  
ANN: I do too.but, you know, we aren't children anymore. And as long as the memories are good.  
  
POPURI: Yeah you're right. Oh hey! Did you see that guy at the funeral?  
  
ANN: Huh? You were checking out guys at the funeral? *Ann smirks*  
  
POPURI: No! *blushes* I just noticed him. He was tall, light brown hair, dark eyes?  
  
ANN: Oh you mean Jack! Yeah, he's Simms's grandson. In fact, he's taking over the Harvest Farm. Gonna try to restore it.  
  
POPURI: Wow, that's quite a task!  
  
ANN: Yeah, seems really nice. In fact, Dad wants me to bring him lunch this afternoon.you can come if you want and I'll introduce ya.  
  
POPURI: Oh really!? I'd love to! Wait.I can't.  
  
ANN: Why not?  
  
POPURI: One of our chickens died from a wild dog attack because I accidentally left the gate unlocked. I'm in pretty big trouble. I shouldn't even be here right now.  
  
ANN: Oh Poppy! I'm so sorry, which one was it?  
  
POPURI: It was Pon.  
  
ANN: Pon? Wasn't she your favorite?  
  
POPURI: *sniff* Yeah, and Rick is being a jerk about it as usual.  
  
RICK: POPURI!  
  
ANN: Ooh, I think I hear your brother now.  
  
POPURI: Yeah, I'd better get going.  
  
ANN: Ok then. I'll see you tomorrow. Oh, and I'll send Jack over your way too.  
  
POPURI: Huh?  
  
ANN: Well, if he asks I'll tell him that he can get a chicken over at Chicken Lil's and also subtly work in the fact that a lovely young lady with strangely colored hair lives there.  
  
POPURI: Oh, quiet you! *laughs* And my hair is NOT a strange color!  
  
ANN: Yeah, for cotton candy!  
  
POPURI: *laughs* I'll get you for that!  
  
Popuri ran down the slope as quickly as her little red slippers could take her, only to almost tackle down Rick.  
  
RICK: Popuri! Tsk, why are you always so childish? And why do you insist on coming up here every morning? If you want to wake up early you should get a head start on taking care of the chickens. And furthermore-  
  
POPURI: Oh shut up Rick!...Have you buried Pon yet?  
  
RICK: No, that's what I came to get you for.  
  
POPURI: Ok, then...let's go. 


	3. Something New

*Author's note: Thoughts will be represented by parentheses. Example:  
  
JACK: Thank you! (Wow, these cookies are great!)  
  
And you already know that the asterix is indicating some type of action in dialogue. ________________________________________________________________________ Chapter 2  
  
POPURI: Good bye Pon. You were my favorite *sniff*, I'll miss you.  
  
Popuri and Rick were coming home from the animal cemetery. The burial was bittersweet. Surprisingly, Rick was quiet the entire time and left Popuri to her own personal eulogy. On the way home though, that was another story. He just wouldn't let it go. Popuri was irresponsible, needs to grow-up, start living in the real world. She didn't hear him though, she was lost in memories again.  
  
POPURI: (Pon was my first chicken. Dad was still here and he gave me her egg. "Popuri, this is your chicken. Name her when she hatches and take care of her." Pon was my last memory of Dad.Dad.)  
  
RICK: Hey! Are you listening to me?! Stop ignoring me!  
  
POPURI: *tears welling up* Rick..please, just stop it.  
  
RICK: Stop what?! You can't just ignore your responsibilities Popuri!  
  
POPURI: Oh Rick, I hate you!  
  
With that, she ran off to the Goddess Spring. Tears falling from her eyes like a torrential rain. The spring was the only place she felt at ease and right now she could use some comfort.  
  
POPURI: Oh Goddess! Please just make it all Ok.  
  
Kneeling by the water with her face in her hands, she did not hear the footsteps behind her.  
  
???: Um, hello? Are you Ok?  
  
POPURI: *jumps* Ah! What do you want?!  
  
???: Well, I over heard you and your brother arguing and he asked me to come up here.  
  
POPURI: Ah, sent you to get me.  
  
???: Um, you don't have to tell me but I was just wondering what happened.  
  
POPURI: Well you see, one of our chickens *sniff* got killed last night.and *tears* .but Rick was being such a jerk! And. *sob*  
  
???: Hey it's, going to be Ok. Shhh, that's it just let it out.  
  
This strange young man put his arm around her and rocked her gently while she cried. Popuri felt very comforted and at peace, more so than she had in a while. She felt she could tell this stranger anything and everything would be just fine.  
  
She lamented a bit more on the idiocy of her brother and the significance of Pon to her heart. He held her and listened and smiled. He tried to cheer her up and make her laugh. He was wonderful.  
  
POPURI: Thanks a lot for listening to me. I feel much better now.  
  
???: No problem. If you ever want to talk again I'll be at the Harvest Farm.  
  
POPURI: Harvest Farm? Are you the old man's grandson? Jack?  
  
JACK: Yep, that's me *grin*.  
  
POPURI: Ok, I'll do that. And you stop by the chicken farm sometime too. Well, I'd better go and talk with Rick now. Thanks again Jack! You were.great.  
  
Popuri couldn't run off that hill fast enough, she could feel her face getting redder and prayed to the Goddess that Jack didn't notice. She couldn't believe she was blushing like that with someone she'd just met. When she arrived home her mother noticed something changed in her.  
  
LILLIA: Popuri sweetie, you look.different.  
  
POPURI: *blushes harder* Do I?  
  
LILLIA: *laughs* Yes, you look very happy.and very embarrassed!  
  
POPURI: N-no I was just running home. Mom, I'm sorry about Pon.  
  
LILLIA: It's alright dear, these things happen. But I have a surprise for you.  
  
POPURI: Oh?  
  
LILLIA: Yes. *pulls out two eggs* These two eggs are the last ones Pon laid. I saved them for you instead of shipping them. We can put then in the incubators and bring Pon's children into the world.  
  
POPURI: Oh Mother, that's wonderful!  
  
Popuri took the eggs from her mother and happily skipped to the chicken coop. She put one egg in.  
  
POPURI: You will be Pon II  
  
As she was about to put the second egg in she thought twice of it. She had a better idea of what to do with this one and smiled to herself as she held it gently to her heart. 


End file.
